It was feast or famine for the Toronto Blue Jays on their latest highway journey that included a record-breaking beatdown of the Colorado Rockies and a collection loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The primary-place workforce is again house for a three-game collection with the Chicago Cubs beginning Tuesday evening at Rogers Centre forward of a three-game weekend set in opposition to the Texas Rangers.
Toronto leads the American League standings at 69-50 and has a four-game lead on the Boston Crimson Sox coming into play Monday evening.
This is a have a look at 5 Blue Jays storylines to observe with about one-quarter of the season remaining:
Bieber fever
The resurgence of veteran right-hander Max Scherzer and the emergence of southpaw Eric Lauer have given Toronto’s beginning rotation extra stability.
The workforce’s five-man crew, which additionally contains Kevin Gausman, Jose Berrios and Chris Bassitt, might quickly change into a six-man group as Shane Bieber nears a return.
The 2020 American League Cy Younger Award winner, who was acquired from Cleveland on the commerce deadline, has impressed in his Triple-A rehab appearances.
Bieber underwent Tommy John surgical procedure final 12 months. He has a profession report of 62-32 with a 3.22 earned-run common over elements of seven big-league seasons.
Offence clicking
Toronto leads the key leagues in a number of offensive classes, thanks partially to back-to-back-to-back routs of the Rockies final week.
The Blue Jays set a modern-era big-league report with a whopping 63 hits over the three video games in Colorado. Toronto additionally set a franchise report with 45 runs scored.
After dropping two of three video games in Los Angeles over the weekend, the Blue Jays nonetheless lead the massive leagues in hits (1,099), batting common (.269) and on-base proportion (.339). Toronto can be third in on-base-plus slugging proportion (.767).
Powerful selections
The Blue Jays could have some robust selections to make this month as some big-name gamers get set to return to the lineup.
Second baseman Andres Gimenez will quickly be activated after spending 5 weeks on the injured listing with a left ankle sprain.
Outfielder/designated hitter George Springer, who has been out for 2 weeks because of a concussion, might additionally quickly return.
Current call-up Buddy Kennedy is the most probably participant to be despatched down. A second roster transfer is predicted to be a a lot more durable name, given it should probably contain a participant who sees extra common taking part in time.
Arms race
A few hard-throwing right-handers might make their mark on the big-league stage for the Blue Jays over the approaching weeks.
Alek Manoah has impressed in his minor-league begins as he continues to construct up after present process elbow surgical procedure final 12 months.
Manoah completed third in Cy Younger Award voting in 2022 and is 29-20 with a 3.34 ERA over 75 profession begins for the Blue Jays.
Usually a starter, high pitching prospect Trey Yesavage threw in reduction for double-A New Hampshire final week for the primary time since being drafted final 12 months within the first spherical.
He had 9 strikeouts over 5 innings
Stretch drive
A playoff berth seems to be a slam dunk for Canada’s lone big-league baseball workforce.
Coming into Monday’s video games, Toronto has a 98.3-per-cent probability of qualifying for the post-season, per FanGraphs projections.
The web site lists the Blue Jays at 78.1 per cent to win the East Division and at 65.8 per cent to earn a first-round bye to the division collection.
After this homestand, Toronto visits the Pittsburgh Pirates and Miami Marlins earlier than returning to Rogers Centre to play the Minnesota Twins and MLB-best Milwaukee Brewers.
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